Posted on 01/08/2009 9:37:06 AM PST by GonzoII
Fr. Stanislas de Lestapis, a French Jesuit, died in 1999 at the age of 94. He had been a member of the Papal Commission on Birth Control and was one of the signatories of its so-called Minority Report. He had published a book on Birth Control, of which the third edition appeared in 1962, long before Humanae Vitae (1968). In Chapter 7, on The Contraceptive Civilization, he made the following bold prophecies:
'We do not hesitate to say that the acceptance of contraception will produce profound changes in our civilization. These changes are already taking place in countries that have officially endorsed contraception for one or two generations.
'Voluntary numerous families will progressively disappear, and the large family will tend to appear as a monstrosity.'
'Populations and families which have deliberately become less creative will experience spiritual ageing and premature sclerosis.'
'The idea and the ideal of family happiness will be downgraded in terms of a so-called right to happiness and of what people think are the 'techniques' for achieving it.'
'Morality among the young will deteriorate. The unmarried will be more licentious. The sexuality of women will lose its connection with marriage.'
'There will be a grave change in the bond of love, due to the reversal of sexual function. It will remain fixed at an 'adolescent' stage. Society as a whole will slip into this 'transitory' stage.'
'The maternal instinct will become sterile, due to the repression of the desire for children which is innate in women. There will be a silent hostility toward life and its first manifestations: pregnancy, child-birth and even sometimes towards dolls and babies.'
'A new concept of sex, now essentially defined as 'the capacity for erotic play for the sake of the couple', all reference to procreation now being only accidental.'
'A growing confusion between the two sexes and less resistance to 'sexual inversions': the concept of man will lose some of its masculine characteristics, while that of woman becomes less feminine.'
'A growing tolerance of homosexual behaviour, as erotic play that at best succeeds in expressing personal intimacy between friends or lovers.'
'Finally, contraception will raise hopes which it cannot fulfill, and will give rise to frustrations and deep dissatisfactions, which will contribute to:
- The crisis of divorce and instability of modern marriages.
* The deterioration of mental health, and the lack of sexual desire in women, noted in the Kinsey Report.
* The abdication of parents confronted by their task as educators.
* The ennui secreted by a civilization that is entirely centered on a comfortable way of life and sexual satisfaction.'
'We may be accused of drawing a rather somber picture. No one will reproach us for not being frank. It only remains to justify these predictions. Remember we began by saying that it is by no means easy to provide a statistical basis for them.'
Fr. Lestapis goes on for twenty pages to justify separately each of his predictions, some very clearly, others less so, given the intangible nature of his subject. However, a simple observation of our contemporary world will tell us that many, if not all of them, have come to pass.
Is this just coincidence or is it because 'the acceptance of contraception' actually has 'produced profound changes in our civilization'?
If that is so, we can hardly treat the assertion of Humanae Vitae that 'every use of marriage should be open to the transmission of life' as an open question.
Dick Cremins, S.J., FASU Consultancy famli@africa-online.net
P.O. Box 1530, Lilongwe, MALAWI
Tel: [265] 753863
Article courtesy of: Victor R. Claveau — Web site: victorclaveau.com
Ping.
Fr. DeLestapis was exactly right.
While I am not opposed to birth control, you gotta admit that this guy NAILED it, over 40 years ago...
I wouldn't say he nailed it. Although many of his predictions are true, one would be hard pressed to say that contraception is the sole cause of societal decay.
Bork wrote a very well conceived observation of the factors at play in Slouching Towards Gomorrah; namely abortion, affirmative action, and the welfare state.
But I'm against the state (pressed either by society, the church or a combination of both) regulating preventative contraceptive procedures in the name of protecting us from ourselves.
The explosion of the internet has led to an explosion of pornography and perversion as well, but I would strongly oppose some sort of government regulation of it.
Humanae Vitae and True Sexual Freedom — Part 6 of 6 [Open]
Contraception v. Natural Family Planning — Part 5 of 6 [Open]
Sex Speaks: True and False Prophets — Part 4 of 6 [Open]
Contraception and the Language of the Body — Part 3 of 6 [Open]
Does Contraception Foster Love? — Part 2 of 6 [Open]
Contraception and Cultural Chaos — Part 1 of 6 [Open]
Priests still suffering from effects of Humanae Vitae dissenters, Vatican cardinal says (Must read!)
"Provoking reflection" (Contrasting views on Humanae Vitae)
Humanae Vitae The Year of the Peirasmòs - 1968
Catholics to Pope: Lift the Birth Control Ban
[OPEN] The Vindication of Humanae Vitae
Catholic Clergy Challenge Colleagues to Reacquaint Themselves and Their People with Humanae Vitae
White House proposes wide "conscience clause" on abortion, contraception
THE EX CATHEDRA STATUS OF THE ENCYCLICAL "HUMANAE VITAE" [Catholic Caucus]
“A degrading poison that withers life”
Australia Study: 70 Percent of Women Seeking Abortions Used Contraception
[Fr. Thomas Euteneuer] In Persona Christi: The Priest and Contraception
A Challenging Truth, Part Two: The Day the Birth Control Died
A Challenging Truth, Part One: How Birth Control Works
Ten Challenges for the Pro-Life Movement in 2008
The concept of the "intrinsically evil"
Pope Tells Pharmacists Not to Dispense Drugs With 'Immoral Purposes'
Massive Study Finds the Pill Significantly Increases Cancer Risk if Used more than Eight Years
Birth Control Pill Creates Blood Clot Causing Death of Irish Woman
Seminarians Bring Church’s Teaching on Contraception, Sexuality to YouTube
Abortion and Contraception: Old Lies
History of Catholic teaching on Contraception
Pope: Legislation "Supporting Contraception and Abortion is Threatening the Future of Peoples"
Contraception: Why It's Wrong
On Fox News Fearless HLI Priest Takes on Sean Hannity (may be indebted for saving his soul)
VIDEO - SEAN HANNITY vs REV. THOMAS EUTENEUER (must see!)
The Early Church Fathers on Contraception - Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
Pope on divine love vs. erotic love
Conjugal Love and Procreation: God's Design
Being fruitful [Evangelicals and contraception]
Yep. Sadly, those prophecies have come true.
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